Benjamin Williams (January 1, 1751July 20, 1814) was the 11th and 14th

Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

, from 1799 to 1802 and from 1807 to 1808. He was the first of two North Carolina Governors since the American Revolution to serve nonconsecutive terms.

Biography

Williams was born in

Johnston County, North Carolina Johnston County, officially the County of Johnston, is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 215,999. Its county seat is Smithfield. Johnston County is included in the Raleigh-Cary, N ...

, in 1751, and became a farmer. He married Elizabeth Jones on August 10, 1781; they had one son named Benjamin. Williams was a Mason and was a member of St. John's Lodge in New Bern. Williams served as a member of the revolutionary convention in Johnston County in 1774; he then served in the

North Carolina Provincial Congress The Provincial Congress of North Carolina was an extralegal representative assembly patterned after the colonial lower house that existed in North Carolina from 1774 to 1776. It led the transition from British provincial to U.S. state govern ...

and two terms in the Provincial Council. In 1775, Williams was appointed to the Second North Carolina Regiment; he served until 1781, was promoted to the rank of

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

, and fought at the

Battle of Guilford Courthouse The Battle of Guilford Court House was fought on 15 March 1781 during the American Revolutionary War, near Greensboro, North Carolina. A 2,100-man British force under the command of Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis defeated Major General Na ...

. He also served in the

Province of North Carolina The Province of North Carolina, originally known as the Albemarle Settlements, was a proprietary colony and later royal colony of Great Britain that existed in North America from 1712 to 1776.(p. 80) It was one of the five Southern col ...

House of Burgesses in 1775. Military service: * Lieutenant in the 2nd North Carolina Regiment (1775-1776) * Captain in the 2nd North Carolina Regiment (1776-1779) * Lt. Colonel or Colonel in the Johnston County Regiment of North Carolina militia (1780-1781) * Lt. Colonel or Colonel over the North Carolina State Regiment (State Troops) (1781) Williams served in both houses of the

North Carolina General Assembly The North Carolina General Assembly is the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Government of North Carolina, state government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the North Carolina Senate, Senate and the North Ca ...

over the next three decades, one term in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

from 1793 to 1795, and four annual terms as Governor. He was a candidate in the 1792 North Carolina gubernatorial election, finishing 4th. He was first elected as governor in

1799 Events January–March * January 9 – British Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger introduces an income tax of two shillings to the pound, to raise funds for Great Britain's war effort in the French Revolutionary Wars. * January ...

to fill the unexpired term of William R. Davie, who had resigned. Williams was elected twice more and served for three years. During his last year in office he pardoned Congressman John Stanly, who had killed former Gov.

Richard Dobbs Spaight Richard Dobbs Spaight (March 25, 1758September 6, 1802) was an American Founding Father, politician, planter, and signer of the United States Constitution, who served as a Democratic-Republican U.S. Representative for North Carolina's 10th co ...

in a

duel A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two people with matched weapons. During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly single combats fought with swords (the rapier and later the small sword), but beginning in ...

. The North Carolina Constitution of 1776 limited the post of governor to three one-year terms within a six year period. After three years had passed, Williams sought re-election to the position in

1805 After thirteen years the First French Empire abolished the French Republican Calendar in favour of the Gregorian calendar. Events January–March * January 11 – The Michigan Territory is created. * February 7 – King Anouvong become ...

but was defeated by Nathaniel Alexander. In

1807 Events January–March *January 7 – The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland issues an Order in Council prohibiting British ships from trading with France or its allies. *January 20 – The Sierra Leone Company, faced with b ...

, the General Assembly elected him governor once again, but in

1808 Events January–March * January 1 ** The importation of slaves into the United States is formally banned, as the 1807 Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves takes effect. However Americans still continue the slave trade by transpor ...

they elected David Stone, ending Williams' gubernatorial career. Williams was elected one last time to the

North Carolina Senate The North Carolina Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly, which along with the North Carolina House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the state legislature of North Carolina. The Senate ...

in 1809, then retired from politics. Williams died in 1814 and is buried in Moore County. His home called

House in the Horseshoe The House in the Horseshoe, also known as the Alston House, is a Plantation house in the Southern United States, historic house in Glendon, North Carolina in Moore County, North Carolina, Moore County, and a historic site managed by the North Ca ...

, is a tourist attraction operated by the

North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is a cabinet-level department within the state government of North Carolina dedicated to overseeing projects in the arts, culture, and history within the borders of the state. The cur ...

References

* ''Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978'',

Robert Sobel Robert Sobel (February 19, 1931 – June 2, 1999) was an American professor of history at Hofstra University and a well-known and prolific writer of business histories. Biography Sobel was born in the Bronx. He completed his B.S.S. (1951) an ...

and John Raimo, eds. Westport, CT: Meckler Books, 1978. ()
NC Department of Cultural Resources
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Benjamin 1751 births 1814 deaths Governors of North Carolina Members of the United States House of Representatives from North Carolina Members of the North Carolina House of Representatives North Carolina state senators North Carolina Federalists People from Johnston County, North Carolina People from Moore County, North Carolina Federalist Party state governors of the United States Members of the North Carolina House of Burgesses Members of the North Carolina Provincial Congresses 18th-century members of the United States House of Representatives 18th-century members of the North Carolina General Assembly 19th-century members of the North Carolina General Assembly Candidates in the 1792 United States elections Candidates in the 1805 United States elections